Spatial analytics platform Cognitive3D raises $2.5M in seed funding

In General XR News

September 15, 2022 – Cognitive3D, a spatial analytics platform that collates and measures how users behave within immersive 3D environments, has recently announced that it has raised a $2.5 million Series Seed round led by Konvoy, with participation from Space Capital and Boost VC.

Cognitive3D uses immersive technology to help provide an innovative way of researching consumer behavior within a 3D extended reality (XR) setting. As users move from content consumption through 2D web and mobile platforms, towards a more interactive content participation in 3D apps, Cognitive3D provides the ability to understand what happens within a 3D space, including how users interact with objects in a chosen environment.

With user experiences and metrics changing through the advancement of 3D apps, traditional analytics tools are becoming less efficient as organizations are struggling to gain important user insights within XR environments. As a result, Cognitive3D identified a unique opportunity through collecting spatial intelligence by leveraging virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR – collectively XR) devices as means for data collection.

The company stated that this approach of using spatial analytics to carry out user research and collate essential data enables organizations to understand consumer behavior through a unique quantitatively measured platform. This includes showing where users look and how they engage with the 3D environment; how they navigate and where they spend the most time; and specific events that happen, such as users taking off their headsets which could indicate that they got stuck in an immersive 3D experience.

Through the launch of a freemium offering, the company is constructing industry standard benchmarks for application performance that evaluates telemetry from XR devices. These benchmarks provide baselines for a participant’s comfort, presence and performance, and provides insight into where developers should spend their time in-app optimization, and how their app compares against other apps in their category.

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Cognitive3D was founded in 2015 by CEO Tony Bevilacqua. Since launching, the company has built a team of nine, and now aims to double its headcount over the next 18 months. The latest seed round brings Cognitive3D’s total funding amount to date to $3.5 million.

Commenting on the latest funding round, Bevilacqua said: “The interest and use of 3D applications is on the rise as it creates a simulated environment that can fully immerse users and be easily adapted and improved. As with all platforms there needs to be a way of assessing its effectiveness and efficiency, and this is where Cognitive3D’s innovative and unique methods come in. Our way of testing and assessing user experiences within 3D environments allows those building and creating them the ability to see what works and how their applications can be enhanced.”

In addition to the funding announcement, the company also announced that Jim Preston, Lead Technical Producer at Electronic Arts (EA), and Taylor Hurst, Principal at Konvoy will be joining Cognitive3D’s board.

Hurst stated: “Cognitive3D’s ability to collect and measure spatial data to bring visibility to user participation, and help organizations optimize their games and apps is a game changer for all of those involved in creating immersive 3D environments. From training simulations, to consumer and academic research, and entertainment, the adoption of immersive 3D applications is increasing exponentially, and Cognitive3D is poised to be the market leader in this new category of spatial analytics.”

For more information on Cognitive3D and its spatial computing analytics platform, please visit the company’s website.

Image credit: Cognitive3D